What Could Have Been
by OtherWorldlySecrets
Summary: This story is set after the final battle, so it's series compliant, but not epilogue compliant. I'm not exactly sure where it will go yet.
1. A Week Before the Burrow

**AN: If I owned Harry Potter would I be writing here? FYI Bold is ANs and POV switches**_**, **_**Underlines are letters/notes.**

***Hermione POV***

I can't believe it! I'm finally a seventh year! I can't wait to get my Hogwarts letter! I hope I'm Head Girl, I've worked so hard. Suddenly, my new owl, Pennellopie, flew into my room carrying letters from Ronald, Ginny, and Harry.

As I start reading Ronald's letter, I get disappointed. He's trying to ask me out again. We went out after the battle, but I broke things off a month later. I know that may seem cold-hearted, but things weren't going very well between us. We fought over the tiniest of things, such as where to go for dates, or how much time I could spend in the library or the bookshop. I did it to preserve our friendship. We've been friends too long to part ways after a silly relationship went bad. Sadly, both he and Molly want us to get back together, I'll explain to her when I get to the Burrow tomorrow why I won't get back with him.

Ginny's letter is exciting news! Apparently Harry asked her out when he arrived last week. I know what you're thinking, "Doesn't she normally get there before Harry?" I do, but this year, I've decided that I want to spend one last summer with my parents before I finish school and get my own place to live. Well, back to Ginny, I'll have to get her to tell me everything when I get there!

Harry's letter is… interesting. I don't know what to make of it… apparently Malfoy owled him, trying to make friends. I guess it can't be all that bad, his family _did_ switch sides after the war.

Suddenly, an owl that I don't recognize flies into my room. I detach the letter from its leg and am surprised by who it's from. The one and only Draco Malfoy! I start reading the letter, and have to sit down from what I'm reading. Malfoy wants to be friends. He's apologizing for being cruel for the past seven years. He's telling me that he thought what he was doing would win his father's favor. Apparently he just discovered that his father's Death Eater façade was an act. He wants me to respond soon.

I'll write to Harry and tell him what happened. I'll also tell him that we should probably talk about this at the Burrow when we get the chance. Maybe I'll talk to Ronald as well... I hope I can get him to see sense. He probably won't, maybe I'll tell him to try going out with Lavender again. He just needs to talk to her! I tried talking to him, but he would never listen. Everything had to be his way, and there was no room for my intelligent input on how to fix our relationship. If only he would listen to sense…

**AN: Please review. I can use your ideas!**


	2. That Same Week

**AN: Disclaimer on first chapter. Notes are with disclaimer on first chapter. **

***Draco POV***

"Draco, darling, we need to talk," I'm scared now, mother sounds worried. You see, she was pretty much the only one to care for me these past 17 years of my life. I could never get father to seem to like me.

"Yes mother? I'm all ears," she takes a deep breath,

"Draco, my son, I know this may come as a shock to you, but your father is not as devoted to the Dark Lord as it would seem." Mother explains.

"I had to act like I did to save all of our lives. The Potters were in the same position I was in, James could have lived if he became a Death Eater. You and Harry would have been friends – brothers even- and he would have a little sister if the Dark Lord didn't decide to kill them. Lily was smart, even if she was a muggle born. James and I grew up together." Father explains.

I honestly don't know what to think. I'm practically stunned into silence. My mouth opens and closes as I try to form a coherent thought. I just can't wrap my mind around the possibility that Potter and I could have been like brothers.

"So, you're saying that Pot-Harry and I would have been like brothers if the Dark Lord didn't kill his family?" I'm confused

"Yes," my parents chorus together. They show me pictures of Father and James Potter laughing with ex-Professor Lupin, Uncle Sirius, and Peter Pettigrew.

This brings another thought to my mind,

"So, you respect Lily Potter, right?" my parents nod, "So, if I just so happen to respect a muggle born at school - that I've treated badly for years thinking it was the right thing to do – would you be upset if I tried to make amends, and possibly start to court her?" My parents both shake their heads with smiles on their faces.

I decide that I need to owl Potter, and try to make amends. Maybe I'll owl Gra- the girl I li- respect to do the same thing. I tell my parents so, and as I leave the room I think I hear father mention Granger. I sincerely hope that this doesn't go too badly.

I sit down at my desk and try to think of something to write. I'll write Potter first, but what should I tell him? I don't think I can tell him about father being friends with his father yet. I'll wait until we possibly become friends. I'll tell him that my horrible attitude was all an act, I'll also tell him why I was the way I was. I could as for acquaintanceship if he possibly finds it in him to forgive me. I think I'll tell Granger the same.

Wait. Where did that come from? Heck, why am I even denying it? I like Granger, and I have since she slapped me in third year. That took guts, and I have respected her since then. Can a guy hate a girl that is as passionately opinionated as she is? She would to excellent in pureblood society, if it even exists as I know it to.

**AN: Please Review! I can use your ideas!**


	3. At the Burrow

**AN: Disclaimer on the first chapter. Notes are on first chapter.**

***Hermione POV***

As I walk off the knight bus, I see Molly, Arthur, Ronald, Ginny and Harry standing at the door of the Burrow waiting to greet me. I see Harry and Ginny holding hands as they wait, I'm not sure that they're exactly public yet.

"Hi everyone!" I shout as I wave at them, they all wave back at me. As I get closer to the Burrow, Ronald tries to take my bags.

"Oh Ronald, that's quite alright, I can carry my bags a few more steps to the house." He looks at me disgruntled.

"Why won't you take me back? Can't I do anything nice for you to win your heart back?" I look at him incredulously. Does he honestly believe that with him just taking my bags that I would fall in love with him again?

"You know perfectly well why I won't take you back. It's because you tried to control me, all you wanted to do was snog, and you never let me do anything I wanted to do. I like Quidditch, but I don't follow EVERY game, I personally don't like the Cannons. Aside from that, EVERYTHING we did was what you wanted, we never went on romantic dates, and the only things you got me were more of use to you! So Ronald, forgive me when I say this, but forget dating me, just get back with Lavender, I know she still wants you!" By the time I finished my tirade, almost everyone was back inside. Molly was standing there looking at me as Ronald walked in.

"Oh Hermione dear, I truly hoped you could be my daughter for real. I see there's no hope in that now." She looked at me sadly, but before she could go back inside I stopped her.

"Molly!" I had to pause to collect my thoughts, "I still do love him, but not like that anymore. He and Harry are the brothers I've never had. I will do anything for this family, but I cross the line at marrying against my will. I love you, Molly, as my surrogate mother. There was a time when I thought you could be my mother-in-law, but your son just isn't the person for me." I hugged her by the end of my speech, and I had a feeling that she understood.

Now I need to find Harry so we could talk about what Malfoy said. I began heading up the stairs to put my things in Ginny's room when I heard Ronald's dulcet tones.

"But Mum! I love her!" and Molly's helpful response,

"Well it's obvious you've lost your chance, so stop trying!" I just shook my head and continued on my way, as I got to Ginny's room, I knocked on the door. Lo and behold, Harry answered. I hugged him and murmured a "hello". He hugged me back and told me that we should talk soon. I put my things in Ginny's room, and got ready to have lunch with the Weasleys.

**AN: Please review! Your ideas can help form the story!**


	4. Lunch and Ginny's room

**AN: Disclaimer on the first chapter. Notes are on first chapter.**

***Hermione POV***

Well. Lunch was rather interesting. I mostly kept to looking at my food, I looked around once and a while, Ronald was looking at me like a love-sick puppy, Ginny and Harry were completely immersed in their own conversation, Molly was bustling around as she usually is, and Arthur was reading the newspaper.

Luckily, lunch came to an end, and I was unpacking in Ginny's room. She knocked and came in.

"Okay, we NEED to talk!"

"What is it, Ginny?"

"Well," She moved to sit on her bed, "I told you about Harry and me dating, right?" I nodded, "Well, Ron isn't too happy. You see, I told him that I was dating someone, and he flew off of the handle going on about how it wasn't fair that I was dating someone, and he wasn't." She sighed, "I haven't told him that it's Harry yet, I feel like he'll get even angrier." I looked at her in pity, and I sighed.

"Gin," I motioned for her to sit on the bed as I sat down, "I think that we both need to stand up to your brother. I hope I have your mother's help on this, but Ronald just won't listen to me – he never has," I hug her before I stood up to finish packing, " So, tell me, does your family know about Harry and you?" In response, she just gave me a sly smile. I squealed as we hugged again.

Someone cleared their throat while we jumped and hugged, I turned around to see Harry. He gave Ginny a look. She nodded at him and told me she'd see me later. Harry closed the door behind her.

"We need to talk about Malfoy," he said as he sat on the bed. I nodded and sat down next to him,

"Well, I think he could be an ally," Harry gave me a look, "His family DID switch sides at the end of the war,"

"That's my point, the END of the war. Could they have been doing it just to save face, and their own arses?" All I could do was nod, and then I was struck with a thought.

"Harry, I have an idea. What if we became acquainted with him – not friends – just acquaintances, to see where his loyalties lie. We could wing it after that."

"Hermione Granger wants to wing something? What has the world come to?" he joked. I laughed with him. I told him that we should probably respond do him and tell him that we consider getting to know him, but not anything further than that. I certainly hope Ronald doesn't fly off the handle about this.

***Draco POV***

It's been a day since I sent my letters off. I hope that I didn't make a mistake. An owl that I recognize as Potter's flies in with two letters attached to its leg. It's from Potter and Her-Granger! Why on earth did I doubt myself?

**AN: Please review! Your ideas can help form the story!**


	5. The Good News

**AN: Notes and Disclaimer on first chapter!**

***Draco POV***

I open Potter's letter first, he says that he doesn't trust me at all, but he spoke to Granger, and she said to give me a chance. He emphasized that I only get one chance, and if I do anything to get on his bad side, I'll be positively ignored. I can live with that. Then I take a breath, and open Herm-Granger's letter.

I smile as I begin to read it - she addressed it as Draco, that's a good sign. I digress, she says that she'll give me a chance, we won't be friends yet, apparently I have to earn that.

I understand that I don't have to respond, so I won't. I think I'll head to the library and do school work. But I'm interrupted by a barn owl flying into my room.

It looks like it's from Hogwarts. I opened the letter, and to my surprise it said that I'm Head Boy! And it looks like Hermione is Head Girl, **(He calls her Hermione now, because in the letter she told him that they can be on a first name basis if he so wishes) **no surprises there. Wait, backtrack, I'M HEAD BOY!

"Mother! Father! I have news for you! Meet me in the drawing room, please!" I shout as I run down the stairs to hopefully beat them there. I sat in my favorite chair as they entered. They looked at me expectantly, "I'm Head Boy!"

"Congratulations, son! We're so proud of you."

"Would you happen to know who Head Girl is?" asked father.

"According to the letter, it just so happens to be the Granger girl" Mother and father shared a look. They seemed happy for some reason.

***Hermione POV***

I just sent my letter off to Draco, when a school barn owl flies into the room. I take the letter from its beak, and give it some water from Headwig's dish as I open the letter.

I-I'm speechless! I-I can't bel-believe it! I… I'm H-Head Girl!

"EEEEEEPPP!" I couldn't help myself. I squealed. I heard running footsteps, Ginny and Harry burst into the room first, then Ronald, then Arthur and Molly, all with their wands drawn.

"What's going on Hermione? Did you get hurt?" Asked Molly,

"I'm Head Girl,"

"Oh that's wonderful news!" Her whole demeanor changed as she gave me a hug, "Well, we'll have to set a date for Diagon Alley soon, won't we?

"Indeed, I'll owl my parents and tell them the news," Arthur and Molly left, Ronald and Ginny congratulated me and left,

"Who's Head Boy?"

"I don't know, Harry, let me see," I reread the letter,

"Draco,"

"What about him?"

"He's Head Boy,"

"Why the bloody hell are you calling the ferret by his first name?" Neither Harry nor I realized that Ronald came back.

I explained about how Draco owled Harry and I, and asked for friendship, Ronald was about to start ranting about us being traitors to Gryffindor, when I told him that we only decided on being acquaintances, nothing more. Ronald was grudgingly fine with it – for now.

**AN: Please Review! Anything you say can really help! I'm winging this right now!**

******Review Response Time! (I might do this every five chapters, or whenever I feel like it, but I promise that I'll respond to them all by the end of the story!)**

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